Football must change to protect players' brains

The data to prove its danger is lacking

The latest scientific findings strongly indicate that playing football at any level can significantly raise the possibility of brain injury, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. Every year, more evidence that proves football is a dangerous sport gradually piles up. Even in school yards, playing the sport involves the repeated knocks to the head that can lead to permanent injuries. Particularly among kids, regulations and protections are looser. The NFL has denied the link between brain conditions and the sport for years, introducing only superficial improvements. This must change for the well-being of all football players.

Recent studies published in many news outlets have given an incomplete view of football’s correlation to brain injuries, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Just last month, a less publicized study found no proof of football causing brain problems. Researchers’ findings have been exaggerated to fit a particular narrative and generate headlines. The fact of the matter is that the needed amount of evidence to definitively link the sport and the condition is still lacking. Football is a contact sport that can be dangerous. However, making grand statements according to incomplete scientific data is not the way forward.